Hamlin 1st Graders Explore Community

First grade students are learning about their local community/neighborhood. The classes began by asking: What are our responsibilities within our local community to demonstrate good citizenship? Girls have started taking walks around the Hamlin neighborhood in order to make observations, think about the needs of a community, and to speak with people who live and work within the neighborhood. 1st graders will look at different kinds of maps, make their own maps and follow maps on the neighborhood walks. The girls also have an opportunity to explore their own home neighborhoods and teach the class about what they discover.

As part of the exploration, classes are planning to connect with children from other parts of the world in order to learn about more distant neighborhoods. This approach will provide Hamlin students with an opportunity to compare and contrast places and people with a global perspective.

Core to this project-based learning endeavor is the integration of technology for conducting interviews and sharing findings. Students utilize Google maps, book creator, iMovie, garage band, and QR codes. Hamlin’s tech team has been working with 1st grade teachers for multiple years to support and strengthen this far-reaching pedagogy.

In the later stages of the work, students will build a 3D map of the blocks near Hamlin (see the above photo from last year that shows this construction).

Watch this video from last year to learn more about this incredible project:

Special thanks to Hamlin faculty member Rachel Davis for creating the video.